Muslim-Christian Group formed to protect Christians

February 4, 2015

Kamal Nawash

Muslim-Christian Group formed to protect Christians

The Free Muslims Coalition condemns in the loudest possible voice the burning alive of the Jordanian pilot by the extremist group, the Islamic State. He is a true martyr. May God give his family the strength to move forward after learning of his cruel murder.

In light of the barbaric action of the Islamic State and other extremist groups, the Free Muslims Coalition is eager to announce that members of the newly formed Muslim & Christian Coalition (MCC) convened for an Interreligious Summit and agreed to hold their first international conference in Washington D.C. on May 1 & 2 of 2015 to formulate a strategy for protecting and preserve Christians and other minorities in the Middle East.

The Muslim-Christian Coalition represents a diverse range of Muslim and Christian leaders and clergy who are putting their faith into action to protect Christians and other religious groups who may suffer persecution due to recent political upheavals in the Middle East. Coalition members discussed mechanisms for providing relief to the persecuted and a media campaign to amplify the voices of the majority of Muslims who want their anti-extremist voices to be heard loud and clear.

The Summit was hosted by Father Joseph Rahal, Pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, who emphasized that "We, in this room, represent the majority. However, the minority voice of extremists have dominated the conversation. It is time for us to reclaim our voice." Salam al-Marayati, President of Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), agreed and added that "In Islam, protecting minorities and preserving Life is central to the faith."

The Muslim-Christian Coalition Chairperson, Sir Rateb Rabie, of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, proclaimed that "Christians are an integral part of the Arab world.

According to Kamal Nawash, attorney and president of the Free Muslims Coalition, "in light of the barbarity of extremist groups like the Islamic State, Muslims must be proactive in protecting Christians and other minorities. Muslims must also be proactive in taking the fight to the extremists before the extremists bring the fight to us. In terms of fighting, the ideological battle is as important as the military battle and that is why we must publicly proclaim our support for our Christian brothers and sisters."